Bryce Harper's leaping catch at the fence wasn't enough to lift the Nationals.

Game in a nutshell: Needing a win to avoid a series sweep and a four-game losing streak, the Nationals were done in again by a tepid lineup. Playing without Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse or Jayson Werth, they were shut out on four hits by Dodgers starter Chris Capuano and two relievers. Gio Gonzalez matched Capuano for five innings but was done in by shaky control in the sixth and wound up with his first loss of the season. Thus, for the first time since April 11, the Nationals are no longer in sole possession of first place. They're now tied with the Braves atop the NL East at 14-8.

Hitting highlight: Tyler Moore's first career hit came in his second career at-bat. The rookie left fielder poked a solid single to right-center in the top of the fifth to officially put himself in baseball's all-time register. Bryce Harper, meanwhile, recorded his second career hit: a single to right in the seventh off left-hander Capuano.

Pitching lowlight: Gonzalez may have established a new Nationals record with 25 consecutive scoreless innings, but he was by no means sharp during today's outing. After walking only four total batters over his last three outings, the left-hander issued five free passes in sixRead more »

That 6th inning Gio was all over the place. He might have been getting squeezed on 1 or 2 pitches, but giving up what 5 walks over 6? That's going to bite you in the butt at some point.That said, WOW, the offense is NOT good at all.The two kid's plus LaRoche were good. It is painful to watch Nady.

2 of the 4 hits were from the guys just called up. Espi, Nady and Flores with downright horrible at-bats.The key was Desmond stranded at 3rd with 1 out early in the game as Espi couldn't make contact.Gio lost control and Davey left him in with a fresh bullpen. I don't get a few of the decisions Davey has made lately. On the other side, Capuano had a 2-0 count on Flores and Donnie Baseball brings in a reliever in the middle of the at-bat.This one luckily didn't hurt as much as yesterday.

417b620e-8e2f-11e1-b06f-000bcdca4d7a said… Gio was not sharp today. Any pitcher who walks the leadoff batter to start the game and then later walks three guys in a row cannot be considered sharp. April 29, 2012 7:13 PM ___________________________Even Gio would tell you he wasn't sharp although he kept the team in a position to win. When he really got himself in trouble, he wasn't pulled. Its a head scratcher. Look at the innings thrown by the bullpen since Tuesday as the team didn't play last Sunday and Monday was a scheduled day off. Plenty of fresh arms in the bullpen.

Gonat-You don't take out a pitcher like Gio because he walks a few guys in the 6th inning. He had 25 straight scoreless innings. Just because a pitcher gets in an occasional jam you think he should be pulled??? You haven't played much baseball have you???

Can we say good bye to Eck too. The young guys hit well with out his influence, we need new blood there. This is a drum I have beaten since 2010, and now with good pitching, we have a chance to win a lot of games, and we cannot allow the lack of hitting to stop this. We struck out 13 times this game. Will look it up later, but I know we have to be near the major league lead, and were the 29th last year. Obviously whatever plan Eck has doesn't work.

Gonat said, "I don't get a few of the decisions Davey has made lately…This one luckily didn't hurt as much as yesterday."Wonder if Davey will start deviating from his so-called "Master Plan"? How long can he maintain his faith with the likes of Espinosa and Nady, players he has unabashedly stated are "his guys"? This loss doesn't hurt as much as last nights, but, when the series began, this Gio vs Capuano matchup was supposed to be our 'gimme' game.

Manassas Nats Fan, I forgot Eck was still here. He would have been fired as a Pee Wee League hiting instructor anywhere else, which makes wonder if Eck has something over Rizzo like a photo of him with a live boy or dead girl, lol

It was said on the after-game show that Gio was hit in his pitching arm with that comebacker. That may have had something to do with his control problems in the sixth. I sure hope he isn't bound to the DL.

Mick, I am clueless to why Eck is still here, our trusty reporters haven't been able to crack the case. The team average is now. .230. They are only 25th in Ks, not 29th like last year. Still for as low as the average is, and as few as the HR are. The K amount is way too high. Too many called good strikes, and swinging at balls in the dirt because you took called hittable strikes. Eck would have been gone long ago in most industries.

IF the ball of Gio hurt him we won't know until two more unsuccesful starts, ads the Medical staff is even worse than the hitters.On the right side we are still in first, but we do need to start hitting. The pitchers can not afford one mistake as of now, and unfortunatley, they haven't been good enough to win the last 4 games.

Fear and Ignorance said… Gonat-You don't take out a pitcher like Gio because he walks a few guys in the 6th inning. He had 25 straight scoreless innings. Just because a pitcher gets in an occasional jam you think he should be pulled??? You haven't played much baseball have you??? April 29, 2012 7:25 PM ___________________________It was in the 6th inning, not the 1st inning like when EJax struggled in his last start.

Manassas, if I thought you were right, I would be all for it, but I don't think it would make a bit of difference. This team is still a work in progress and I think we still need to acquire another high batting average hitter…at least one more preferably for the top of the order. I do believe Rizzo is working his way towards that.

Gio needed a visit only after about 6 balls in the 6th like the Dodger's did in the 9th to straighten him up and to give him a blow. cna't believe they let it go to 12 balls. I wouldn't pull, but would help.

Spnnu I don't see where it would hurt, the hitting pattern has been the same for 3 years, take too many good pitches, swing at balls in thee dirt when you have 2 strikes. It might make no difference, but at least people think you are resting on the status qui, Bringing back Eck was a bif shock to me. I wouldn't have brought back in 2011 much less 2012.

Fear and Ignorance, to answer "You haven't played much baseball have you". I'm not that old so I played High School ball within the last 12 years and like Bryce Harper I do my homework on the history of the game.Not sure why you bring up stupidity like that. You're one of those guys that want to compare muscles and I can beat you in that game also. There's probably 1/2 a dozen people on here who know me or who have met me like Steve and NatsJack. They will tell you I'm in excellent shape.Ask Mark Zuckerman, Amanda Comak and the other beat reports if they played baseball at a high level. Does that make them ineligible to write about baseball?

I am not one to jummp to conclusions. And it is a long season and I know the hitting will come around. Just as the pitching will come back closer to human versus what it has been. But that being said, I am starting to worry about Espi.

Gonat-If you think Gio should have been pulled in the 6th inning after 75 pitches and 0 runs over his last 25 IP…I really can't help you. The offense can't score, so he was trying to be too careful with Kemp and Ethier and walked them. Tell me, when should Davey have taken him out? After 2 walks? 3 walks? Who is he going to bring in with better stuff to get out of a bases loaded jam? Can a reliever out in the bullpen get warmed up in 8 pitches? You might need to check that homework again. That being said, I didn't mean the comment about playing experience to sound like a questioning of your credentials…just really don't understand your logic on this one.

K Street, some of us were worried about Espi back in mid-Spring Training. That's when he explained his issues were the batter's eye in Viera. Didn't buy that excuse then because his problems are mechanics and seeing the ball.Having him batting 3rd today with the Werth scratch was a big problem but moving him back to the end of the lineup will take some pressure off of Espi. Just have to hope he finds his stroke or Rendon may just be the 2nd baseman of the future here.

Zuck forgot to mention the line drive comebacker off of Kemp's bat that nailed Gio in the left arm before his problem 6th inning. Perhaps that had an effect on his pitchiing arm? Kudos to Gio for toughing this one out and turning in another Nats quality start! It shouldn't come as a shock to see a lineup without Zim, Morse, and Werth was shutout by that fine Dodgers pitching staff.

Fear and Ignorance said… Gonat-If you think Gio should have been pulled in the 6th inning after 75 pitches and 0 runs over his last 25 IP…I really can't help you. The offense can't score, so he was trying to be too careful with Kemp and Ethier and walked them. Tell me, when should Davey have taken him out? After 2 walks? 3 walks? Who is he going to bring in with better stuff to get out of a bases loaded jam? Can a reliever out in the bullpen get warmed up in 8 pitches? You might need to check that homework again. That being said, I didn't mean the comment about playing experience to sound like a questioning of your credentials…just really don't understand your logic on this one. April 29, 2012 8:39 PM ________________________________Gio lost his release point and location to 3 straight batters and was missing his spots against Loney. He pitched a decent game. It happens. I don't know what to tell you. Day off tomorrow with a fairly fresh bullpen except Clip, Gorzo and Henry. Stammen hadn't pitched in a while. Personally, I would have pulled him after Ethier in that lefty/lefty in a 0-0 game.Having pitched 25 straight innings is a great accomplishment but this is about winning each game.

hokiepokster92 said… Zuck forgot to mention the line drive comebacker off of Kemp's bat that nailed Gio in the left arm before his problem 6th inning. Perhaps that had an effect on his pitchiing arm? Kudos to Gio for toughing this one out and turning in another Nats quality start! April 29, 2012 8:44 PM _____________________________Davey discussed it in his post-game regarding the Kemp shot to Gio's arm and wasn't sure if it had an effect. It was still a decent start as he kept his team in a position to win.

The starting picting has done their job. The two young hitters have come up and done their jobs. Adam LaRoche has done his job. Jayson Weth done his job. relievers (for the most part) have done their job. That leaves the rest up for discussion.Davey didn't bring the best 25 up. Nady, DeRosa? Tracy (though he has had the most RBI's for a pinch hitter, maybe). But we brought too much dead weight in the hitting department. Nady and DeRosa much worse than Sairs last year, as he only made one out a game.

It may be harsh but it may be time to say goodbye to Xavier Nady and bring up Corey Brown.Don't hold your breath. Brown's a LH outfielder, and we already have two of those — Bernadina and Ankiel. But now that Moore is here, and they apparently have confidence in his defense in LF, look for him to get whatever platoon starts are out there for a RH hitter. Once Werth is back, we'll probably see him in RF with Ankiel in CF and Harper in LF against RHP. Against lefties, unless Ankiel really heats up, Harper will play CF and Moore will start in LF. Nady (RH) and Bernie (LH) coming off the bench to PH. When Zim returns either Nady gets released or Moore goes back to the minors. Harper's probably here to stay, at least until Morse is ready to return. DeRosa's time may have come and gone. I expect he'll be resting that oblique for quite awhile.

Mark, I wish you and the other beat writers would stop blaming missing bats for the Nats lack of offense. They aren't the only reasons the Nats aren't scoring runs.For one, Ian Desmond isn't the lead-off hitter the Nats are pretending or claiming he is. Move him towards the back end of the batting order.Danny Espinosa is striking out way too often, in fact he's whiffing one third of the time and misses more thrown balls than anyone, including the pitchers.It may be time to give Lombardozzi a chance at winning the 2nd base job and move Espinosa to the bench. Johnson also needs to stop his experiments of putting an unproductive bat behind hitters who have or are hitting well.